The present invention relates to a unitary data format for measurement devices.
Measurement instruments are applied to execute various measurement tasks in order to measure any kind of physical parameter. Known measurement instruments use a bus architecture applying a command and communication standard to implement test in measurement. Each measurement instrument has a specific driver with measurement instruments specific commands. A programming software implements interfaces to each measurement instrument and processes the measurement instruments specific information in order to communicate with the measurement instrument.
EP 1,315,358 A1 by the same applicant Agilent Technologies discloses a measurement management system for controlling a measurement instrument and comprising a driver, a database, a processing unit and a plurality of user interfaces. Measurement instruments can be coupled to the driver through any kind of data communication network. Data communication within the measurement management system is provided using a measurement management system data format. In the measurement management system data format, measurement data may be represented using a proprietary format.
However, for a communication between a measurement device and a connected device, it may be necessary according to EP 1,315,358 A1 that the communication language between the measurement device and the connected device is individually adjusted to one another.